THE CRAVING MIND
From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love - Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits
Dr. Judson Brewer, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist with twenty years of research experience, reveals how addictive behavior mechanisms can be interrupted through mindfulness practice. This groundbreaking work combines patient narratives, personal mindfulness experience, and cutting-edge scientific findings.
Order now:
Paperback
Ebook
Audiobook
About the Book
Why do we routinely give in to habits we know are bad for us? Is there something in our brain that makes us susceptible to addictive behaviors? In The Craving Mind, Dr. Judson Brewer explores these fundamental questions about addiction and reveals a path forward through mindfulness.
Drawing on his extensive research and clinical experience, Dr. Brewer shows how understanding the brain's reward-based learning system can help us recognize our habit patterns - and ultimately break free from them. From smoking to stress eating, from smartphone addiction to the quest for love, this book illuminates why we get hooked and how we can change. For more on how habits form and break, see Dr. Jud's guides to behavior change and digital addiction.
Praise for The Craving Mind
"Masterful, personal, friendly, compelling, humorous, and erudite... This book offers a perspective on breaking habits through being rather than willpower."
- Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living
"The Craving Mind addresses the core perception that 'something is missing,' offering a pathway combining Western science, Buddhist psychology, and mindfulness practices."
- Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance
Key Themes
The reward-based learning system: Understanding how our brains form habits in the first place.
Mindfulness as medicine: How present-moment awareness can interrupt addictive cycles.
Beyond willpower: Why traditional approaches to breaking habits often fail.
Modern addictions: From substances to smartphones, understanding our digital dependencies.
The science of craving: What brain imaging reveals about addictive behavior.
Practical techniques: Mindfulness tools you can apply immediately.
Behavior Change Programs
Going Beyond Anxiety
The evolution of Dr. Jud's Unwinding Anxiety framework — a comprehensive program with live weekly coaching from Dr. Jud, an active community, and the latest neuroscience. People using an earlier, app-based version of this program saw a 67% reduction in anxiety symptoms.
Learn MoreMindshift Recovery
A nonprofit organization dedicated to making evidence-based addiction recovery accessible to everyone. Our programs combine cutting-edge neuroscience with compassionate support.
Learn MoreAbout Dr. Jud
Dr. Jud Brewer has spent over 20 years at Yale, UMass and Brown University researching how our brains form negative behavior patterns, bad habits and addictions, and the specific techniques needed to create lasting change.
Dr. Jud has worked with everyone from Olympic athletes to corporate leaders and been featured on 60 Minutes, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and the BBC, among others. Learn more about Dr. Jud here.
ORDER NOW
Paperback
Ebook
Audiobook